Snapshots
by Amilya Eclair Farron
Summary: A collection of ficlets and drabbles that involve the letters of the alphabet. Snapshot 11, Kisses: It's like the apple conversation all over again, except this time they have a new addition (well, two new additions depending on how you view it) to the group and they're not talking about apples this time.
1. Apple

**Title:** Snapshots  
**Rating:** PG  
**Fandom:** Crossover: _the Batman_ & _Joker/Clover/Heart no Kuni no Alice  
_**Characters:** _the Batman_: Garfield Lynns (Firefly), Peter Merkel (Ragdoll), Selina Kyle (Catwoman) ; _J/C/H no Kuni no Alice_: Alice Liddell  
**Pairing:** Garfield Lynns (Firefly)/Alice Liddell, Peter Merkel (Ragdoll)/Selina Kyle (Catwoman)  
**Summary:** "Ah, but don't you know, Alice? If your doctor's cute then screw the fruit." Cue Peter choking.  
**Word Count:** 465  
**Author's Note:** … Is it obvious that this couple (Firefly/Alice) has invaded my mind?  
Anyway, my plot bunnies got the idea awhile back of doing an A thru Z collection for this crossover. Firefly/Alice is the main couple, but there will be some letters that focus on a few others. Therefore, if there's a _Batman_ couple you wish for me to add then, by all means, please tell me and I'll be happy to add them in. Or if there's a word you wish to see used. Either one (or both) is fine with me. Who knows? I may add bonuses even after we hit the twenty-sixth mark. :)  
And before anyone asks: no, this is not replacing _ABCs of You and Me_. I still plan on re-posting it as soon as the revision is done. :)  
Also: this doesn't tie into _Coming Undone_ unless otherwise noted. :)  
**Warnings:** None.  
**Disclaimer:** _the Batman_ & _Joker/Clover/Heart no Kuni no Alice_ do not belong to me in any shape or form (including characters). Thank you.

* * *

_Apple_

* * *

If you asked Garfield Lynns or Peter Merkel how the topic came to be then you'd discover that they themselves didn't have a clue. Earlier today Selina had insisted that the four of them go out for lunch, if only to be able to catch up with the brunette. How the conversation strayed to _apples_, of all things, neither of them knew.

"But an apple a day keeps the doctor away."

"Ah, but don't you know, Alice?" Selina's lips turned into a coy smirk. "If your doctor's cute then screw the fruit."

Cue Peter choking on nothing but _air_.

"What do you mean by "if your doctor is cute then screw the fruit"?" He questioned with a scowl.

"It's only a _saying_, Peter."

"Well then if it's just a saying you should have no problem eating apples from now on!"

"Ms. Kyle…? … Mr. Merkel?" Alice cautiously said each person's name, but failed to receive a response. Something draped itself over her shoulders and she turned her head. Instantly her face flushed a shade of red upon realizing how close Garfield's face was to her own.

"You'll still keep eating apples even if your doctor _was_ cute. Right, Alice?"

_Oh my._

His expression copied that of a rejected puppy that had been kicked far too many times. And it made her heart ache at the sight. She swallowed. There was simply no way he was being serious. Was he? It wasn't like he had anything to worry about. In fact, now that she thought about it, it should be the other way around. _She_ should be worried about losing _him_ to some _cute nurse_. She sighs.

"Alice?" Garfield taps her forehead gently with his index finger. "_Are_ you thinking about leaving me for some cute doctor?"

Her eyes meet his and she quickly shakes her head from side to side. "No! Of course not! Don't be silly."

"I'm not; I'm being serious here."

The two across from them appear to have paused in their argument in favor of eavesdropping on the couple.

When did her throat suddenly become so dry? And why was her eyesight starting to become so blurry?

"Garfield…"

Part of her still feels uneasy, and a bit embarrassed, about displaying her affections for him in public yet she finds that she doesn't exactly care at the moment. Rather, she wraps both arms around his neck and presses her face against his shoulder.

Unfortunately for her, she isn't able to see the pleased grin that paints itself across his face.

_Score!_

It's then that Peter jabs his thumb at the two and says, "_See?_ Why can't you be more like Alice in this case?"

His answer is a quick _whap_ to the head from her purse.

"Oh shush, Peter. You're ruining their moment."


	2. Bewitch

**Title:** Snapshots  
**Rating:** PG  
**Fandom:** Crossover: _the Batman_ & _Joker/Clover/Heart no Kuni no Alice  
_**Characters:** _the Batman_: Garfield Lynns (Firefly), Jonathan Crane (the Scarecrow), Jervis Tetch (the Mad Hatter) ; _J/C/H no Kuni no Alice_: Alice Liddell  
**Pairing:** Garfield Lynns (Firefly)/Alice Liddell  
**Summary:** "_Exactly_," His friend said with his eyes still on the chessboard. "If you really want to think about it then it should be him that we're concerned about."  
**Word Count:** 280  
**Author's Note:** A friend of mine wanted me to use the word "bewitch", but unfortunately I failed to come up with something that really focused on Firefly/Alice without it turning into something incredibly sappy and cheesy. So my plot bunnies went with their next best choice and, although I still don't like it, it turned out better than the other.  
The setting of this scene is placed in some park within Gotham. :)  
**Warnings:** None.  
**Disclaimer:** _the Batman_ & _Joker/Clover/Heart no Kuni no Alice_ do not belong to me in any shape or form (including characters). Thank you.

* * *

_Bewitch_

* * *

"Why that no good _Jabberwocky!_"

The man seated across from him didn't need to look up to see who his friend was insulting. Instead he kept his eyes firmly placed on the board, carefully deciding which piece of his he dared to move. Jervis always acted like this whenever the two were in sight and, quite frankly, he wished the man would shut up about it and accept his defeat.

But as it was that was not the case.

"I tell you, my friend! He is the Jabberwocky!"

"…"

"Can she not see it?"

"…"

A gasp, "You don't think…?"

He knew what was coming next without having to say anything.

"He must have stolen some of my microchips and _is using them on her!_ _That's_ the only reason why she'd be with him! Why, how _dare he—!_" Jervis abruptly stood from his seat with a fierce glare aimed at the blond. "We must save Alice! We must, I tell you!"

"Tetch, if he _was_ using your microchips on her – which he _isn't_ – then wouldn't she be devoid of all emotions?"

The Hatter flinched because he knew it was true. "Well… he could have… um…"

"_Exactly_," His friend said with his eyes still on the chessboard. "If you really want to think about it then it should be him that we're concerned about."

"Whatever do you mean?" He didn't bother to hide how applaud he was at the idea.

"Because it's clear that it's _her_ that has bewitched _him_."

"Ridiculous! _He_ must've bewitched _her!_"

"I'm sure that was _after_ she bewitched him." Jonathan Crane finally moved one of his pieces across the board and said in a calm voice, "Checkmate."


	3. Capture

**Title:** Snapshots  
**Rating:** PG  
**Fandom:** Crossover: _the Batman_ & _Joker/Clover/Heart no Kuni no Alice  
_**Characters:** _the Batman_: Garfield Lynns (Firefly) ; _J/C/H no Kuni no Alice_: Alice Liddell  
**Pairing:** Garfield Lynns (Firefly)/Alice Liddell  
**Summary:** Somehow, somewhere in the back of her mind, Alice was fairly certain that the blond snatched the contraption he possessed from someone else.  
**Word Count:** 570  
**Author's Note:** I actually like how this one came out. :)  
**Warnings:** None.  
**Disclaimer:** _the Batman_ & _Joker/Clover/Heart no Kuni no Alice_ do not belong to me in any shape or form (including characters). Thank you.

* * *

_Capture_

* * *

"Say "cheese", Alice!"

However, the brunette merely went into another laughing fit before being temporarily blinded from the flash. Somehow, somewhere in the back of her mind, Alice was fairly certain that the blond snatched the contraption he possessed from someone else; she only hoped that it was from someone like Mr. Merkel or Dr. Crane and not an innocent soul. If only because then it was guaranteed to return to its rightful owner.

Garfield said something that she wasn't able to catch and, before she knew it, there was another quick flash.

It made her face flush from remembering that this was the twentieth-something picture he had taken of her.

"Garfield," She rubbed at her eyes, "could you please stop taking pictures of me? I think I'll go blind if you take any more of them for today."

"But Alice," Her resolve faltered a bit at the tone of his voice, "I have to keep taking pictures."

Why? Why was it so important to constantly take pictures of her? There were so many other things that he could be wasting the film on instead of her. Besides, she bit her lip; it wasn't like she was as pretty or beautiful as the women on magazine covers that she saw while at the bookstore or market.

"Alice."

She soon found herself face to face with the smirking arsonist. Oh, dear. Her cheeks flushed from the proximity of their faces. When did he—?

Her train of thought crashed when a sudden flash came from her right and her head turned to find that Garfield's left arm was outstretched.

And in his hold was the camera.

"Y-You…"

Garfield grinned, "Of course."

"Why?"

It sometimes surprised her how his grin never split his face into two.

"Because, silly." He gently poked her in the forehead. "I want to make sure I capture all of those cute facial expressions you make."

Realization dawned on her; he didn't even need to say the words that they both dreaded – should it happen. But… surely since she's been here for a little over five months it's a sign that she won't be going back, yet it wasn't exactly set in stone either, now was it? Of course there wasn't. Not unless Mr. Nygma was able to solve this confounded puzzle she was strung up in. And it was doubtful that even he would be able to solve it.

"Alice…?" His expression, no matter how hard he tried to smother it, was one of worry. "Are you alright there? You spaced out on me – _again_." Hopefully she could hear the teasing in his voice on the last word.

She smiled, "Mmhmm! I'm alright."

"Good." And just like that his grin was back in place. "So, you're really getting tired of having to model for me, huh?"

"Hmm," She gave him a thoughtful look that caused him to chuckle and shake his head. "Maybe a little bit?"

"Alright, alright; I get the picture. I promise not to take any more pictures of you for today."

"Thank you, Garfield." She smiled and, pulling a stealthy move that would make Ms. Kyle proud, took the camera from him.

He shrugged it off, "Yeah, no problem."

"Good, because I think it's someone else's turn to have their picture taken."

"Uh-huh." She grinned. It was easy to tell that he hadn't really paid much attention to what she said. "…Wait. What?"

_Flash_.


	4. Doubts

**Title:** Snapshots  
**Rating:** PG-13  
**Fandom:** Crossover: _the Batman_ & _Joker/Clover/Heart no Kuni no Alice  
_**Characters:** _the Batman_: Garfield Lynns (Firefly), Peter Merkel (Ragdoll), Drury Walker (Killer Moth) ; _J/C/H no Kuni no Alice_: Alice Liddell, Lorina Liddell  
**Pairing:** Garfield Lynns (Firefly)/Alice Liddell  
**Summary:** Is this really happening to her? Is this really about to happen all over _again?  
_**Word Count:** 1,394  
**Author's Note:** … Apparently, my plot bunnies think that this collection shouldn't be filled with all happy, cheesy, and somewhat fluffy shots. Oh no. It just has to have some angst, too.  
**Warnings:** None.  
**Disclaimer:** _the Batman_ & _Joker/Clover/Heart no Kuni no Alice_ do not belong to me in any shape or form (including characters). Thank you.

* * *

_Doubts_

* * *

It made her wish that Lorina never was born.

But then she felt terrible afterwards for thinking such a thought and so, seeking forgiveness, she pleaded with Mr. Merkel in allowing her to stay with them until they figured out how to send her back. And Moth helped her, too, as Garfield simply stood on the sidelines and watched the scene unfold. It seemed to take forever before Mr. Merkel gave in, grumbling and mumbling under his breath, as they walked back to her sister to tell her the news.

Now she wishes that she hadn't pleaded for her to stay with them.

Garfield's eyes linger far too long on her sister's form and Alice feels her heart begin to crack. And what's worse is that Lorina seems to be returning them. Is this really happening to her? Is this really about to happen all over _again?_

But it just _can't_ be.

Garfield _promised_ her.

He swore that that would _never_ happen.

She should have known otherwise.

She should have doubted his words and his promises.

It's barely been a week before she goes to Mr. Merkel to ask if he's notice anything different in Garfield's demeanor. He fixes her with an expression that she cannot identify and it makes her stomach twist painfully into knots. This isn't the first time he's given her this expression, true, but still. Her nerves are rattled and she decides to see what Drury has to say on the matter.

"Something's different with Garfield?" His tone is quizzical and she's certain that, underneath that mask, his eyebrows are furrowed in confusion. It's a slightly better response than Mr. Merkel's yet it's still not enough to quell her fear. Speaking of fears…

Perhaps she should talk to Dr. Crane about it? Or should she ask Mr. Nygma about it? There's no way she's about to ask Mr. Tetch. That is out of the question. And Ms. Kyle may take it to the extreme if she tells her about this. Who else can she talk to though?

"Alice! There you are!"

She tries to plaster on a bright smile as her sister comes out of nowhere and gives her a genuine smile.

"My, this world is a bit strange, isn't it? Why, I just saw Mr. Merkel bend twist and bend backwards without so much as screaming in pain and breaking his back!"

"…" She remembers the time when she witnessed Mr. Merkel doing such things and it makes her jealous how Lorina hadn't fainted on the spot like she had. "Yes, it… is something."

"And is Mr. Walker always so… nervous?"

"He can be at times, but not always."

"And that Mr. Lynns—"

Her body stiffens.

"—he's, not to be rude, but he's an odd sort of fellow, isn't he?"

"Garfield isn't _odd_." She tries to bite back the snap of her tone when she says it and she can tell her sister is momentarily surprised before a soft smile stretches her lips.

"I'm sorry, Alice. I meant no offence. I only meant… he does know we are sisters, doesn't he?"

_Of course he does_.

"It's just… he continues to give me these glares—"

… _Huh?_

"—and every time I approach the two of you when you're together he wraps an arm around your waist and gives me this… this… _look_. And I know that during your stay here that these men have become protective over you and doing their best to take care of you—"

… _Wha…?_

"—and… Alice, please be honest with me about this, but… are the two of you close? Is he… is he courting you?"

"News flash: the term we use here is "dating". And yes, we are."

Both pair of eyes turned to face the blond as he approached the two from behind; his expression was natural, calm and collected, as he slung an arm around the petite brunette's waist yet kept his blue eyes locked with her sister's. Lorina's eyebrows shot up an inch as her mouth shaped a perfect "o" from his statement and as for Alice… well… she still was having a hard time processing what all had been said – what all _is_ being said.

"And I will make myself clear now, Miss. Liddell; I have no plans on leaving Alice's side any time soon whatsoever. I know that I can be a bit of a handful and that I'm not perfect and that I don't fit in the "gentleman" stereotype. But when I say that I'm going to do everything in my power to make sure that Alice is happy, I mean it. So there's no getting rid of me. … Not unless Alice gets bored of me and leaves me for someone better, that is."

Alice gapes at him like a fish drowning in oxygen; Lorina is blinking owlishly at him in stunned silence.

Yet both are wondering where on earth all of _that_ had come from.

Garfield isn't usually one to be completely honest when it came to "touchy" – as he puts it – feelings like these and situations such as these either.

And Alice's brain slowly begins to register what it is he said and soon her cheeks are feeling uncomfortably warm and her heart is beating rapidly against her ribcage and she's having a hard time fighting that goofy, silly smile that wants to appear on her face.

As the silence goes on, Garfield starts to grow uneasy. "… So… do we have an understanding here?" He unconsciously pulls Alice a little closer to him while studying her sister's reaction. The young woman still has yet to say _some_thing and it's making him more and more uncomfortable. Perhaps that wasn't the best way to get his point across. But what else could he have done? He knows that Alice feels self-conscious about herself when it came to her sister and that's what's been making him a bit on edge ever since his girlfriend begged Rags in allowing her to stay with them.

That and he didn't like how Lorina kept eyeing him like he was some piece of candy.

But he and Alice are both taken back when Lorina giggles into her hand.

"…"

"…"

"Yes, yes. We have an understanding, Mr. Lynns." He tries not to cringe. "Mr. Lynns" makes him sound far too old. "But may I be clear on something, too?" Lorina waits for his nod which he gives. "Alice is precious to me, you must know. Therefore, if I hear that you broke her heart, I shall personally see fit to make the remainder of your life miserable. Do we have an agreement?"

He's not sure how that's a real agreement, but whatever.

"We do."

"Good." Lorina's face brightens immediately. "Well, I'll just leave you two lovebirds alone now. But here I will give you another warning, Mr. Lynns. If you deflower my little sister before getting married, you shall find yourself wishing you were never born."

"Lorina!" Alice stares, applaud, at her sister for even saying such a thing. Never once has Garfield even—and she has to go and say that—and—!

"But otherwise, have fun you two~"

And then it's only them standing there.

…

"Well." Garfield says after a pause. "… That went better than I thought it would."

Alice can't find the words to express how she's feeling. But she does know one thing…

"So… you mean you weren't…"

"Mm?" Garfield hums and tilts his head to the side. "I wasn't what?"

"… Never mind, it's nothing." She smiles fully up at him.

The arsonist gives her a skeptical look because he doesn't believe it for a second. But when she refuses to say any more, he gives a small shrug and asks her if she wants to go for a walk. (He would have suggested that they simply fly about the city, but knows she isn't fond of it so he'll have to go with option two.)

She slips her hand through his and entwines their fingers, "… It's been awhile since you've flown, hasn't it? Why not do that? … But _no_ setting things on fire and–slash–or causing mayhem, alright?"

His eyes widen.

"Really…? But, you—"

"I'm sure, Garfield."

_After all_, Alice thinks to herself, _it's the least I can do for doubting your feelings._


	5. Elegant

**Title:** Snapshots  
**Rating:** PG  
**Fandom:** Crossover: _the Batman_ & _Joker/Clover/Heart no Kuni no Alice  
_**Characters:** _the Batman_: Garfield Lynns (Firefly), Victor Fries (Mr. Freeze), Nora Fries {mentioned} ; _J/C/H no Kuni no Alice_: Alice Liddell  
**Pairing:** Garfield Lynns (Firefly)/Alice Liddell, Victor/Nora Fries  
**Summary:** "She's… a very elegant woman."  
**Word Count:** 755  
**Author's Note:** Yep, we get to see some Victor/Nora here. But their relationship is based off the comics–slash–_Batman: the Animated Series_ instead of _the Batman_ version.  
**Warnings:** None.  
**Disclaimer:** _the Batman_ & _Joker/Clover/Heart no Kuni no Alice_ do not belong to me in any shape or form (including characters). Thank you.

* * *

_Elegant_

* * *

Garfield never could understand how or why the two were able to get along so well.

But… there was something undeniably special about his girlfriend. And that'd been proven when all the inmates of Gotham – be it inmates of Arkham Asylum or inmates of Blackgate – took an interest in her, some for the better and some for the worst. Yet that didn't mean he understood the _why_ part of it; he just knew what he knew from witnessing it. And simply just stunned him how she was able to befriend quite a few of the notorious villains here in Gotham City.

Sheesh, she got along better with some of them than he did. And that was something.

He watched from a distance, leaning against the wall closest to the doors that were both entrance and exit to the factory, as Alice once again studied one of the features of the ice sculpture. A few feet away from her, Mr. Freeze stood at his workbench and worked on… whatever it was he was working on. Garfield was going to assume that it had something to do with _her_. And that was what he couldn't fathom.

How did Alice worm her way past the cold man's icy walls and (dare he say it?) into his heart?

Everyone in Gotham knew of the tragedy in regards to the Fries.

And if not everyone knew they surely did once his story got out after he became known as Mr. Freeze.

"What was she like?"

His thoughts evaporated as her question pierced the silence and, he couldn't help it, his ears perked and strained themselves to hear what Fries would have to say. Never once during their partnership in trying to encase the entire city in solid ice (something Garfield now can't believe he tried to help) had Freeze ever spoke unless needed and, whenever the blond did have a question, he either ignored it or answered it with few words; although, Garfield remembers, he never did ask him about his wife. And to be honest, at the time, he didn't understand why Victor Fries was searching for a cure.

He always thought that he should let go, get back on the market (although, what woman would want a male human icicle as a boyfriend–slash–husband?), and forget about her.

However, now that he had Alice in his life…

Well, he understood better.

The silence was stifling and Garfield felt his muscles tense. Underneath his trademark helmet, his blue eyes anxiously went from Alice's form, to Freeze's, and back to hers. It was hard for him to tell if she crossed the line because of the fact that Freeze had a perfect poker face, but one thing was certain. Garfield would be there in a flash, ready to defend – verbally or psychically – her in a heartbeat, should he lose his anger. In fact, he pushed himself away from the wall he was leaning against and prepared himself.

"She's… a very elegant woman."

Garfield was glad he kept his helmet on otherwise the look of pure and utter shock would have been on display for the two to see.

Had he—?

Did he really just—?

"Beautiful in every way," he spoke slowly as if reliving a faraway dream… no, memories. And it made Garfield feel awkward listening to this. They never got on well, especially since that one time partnership crumbled so badly. And… he really shouldn't be hearing this. It felt like he was intruding on something personal and maybe she had, too, but maybe not since the two were friends in an odd sort of way.

Maybe that's why he quietly left.

It didn't seem long after that when the brunette came out and walked over to him. He took in how her stride lost some of its bounce and how, if possible, the bow in her hair slouched and how her eyes were a bit glazed over. If the situation wasn't as serious as it was, he would have said in a teasing tone something about why she bothered to ask if it was just going to bring her down. Instead he embraced her in a comforting hug and again was thankful to have his helmet on so she wasn't able to see his grim features.

And as they stood there, Garfield couldn't help but think that he might have found the reason behind why Freeze let Alice come visit him and hang around.

Maybe, just maybe, it was because she reminded him of Nora.


	6. Family

**Title:** Snapshots  
**Rating:** PG  
**Fandom:** Crossover: _the Batman_ & _Joker/Clover/Heart no Kuni no Alice  
_**Characters:** _the Batman_: Garfield Lynns (Firefly) ; _J/C/H no Kuni no Alice_: Alice Liddell  
**Pairing:** Smileshipping (Garfield Lynns (Firefly)/Alice Liddell)  
**Summary:** Alice found it odd how Garfield never spoke about his family.  
**Word Count:** 1,080  
**Author's Note:** I think it was in _The Essential Batman Encyclopedia_ by Robert Greenberger that I learned about this piece of information on Firefly. It didn't go into much detail though and since _The Batman (2004-2008)_ doesn't exactly stick to the original background stories (like with Freeze) I just kind of added my own thing to it.  
Oh yes! And thanks to _KoK_, this pairing now has an official name! :) It's called "Smileshipping". :)  
**Warnings:** None.  
**Disclaimer:** _the Batman_ & _Joker/Clover/Heart no Kuni no Alice_ do not belong to me in any shape or form (including characters). Thank you.

* * *

_Family_

* * *

Alice found it odd how Garfield never spoke about his family.

He never mentioned them. He never said anything about them. He never sent them a seasonal card or rang them up.

It made her curious about them. But she feared asking him about it because she didn't know if the subject was a delicate one. Did they know about his lifestyle? Did they know what they did? If they were residents of Gotham then surely they did. But then more questions burst forth to the front of her mind. If they knew about it, did they still love him and care about him? Did they forbid him from ever contacting them again because they didn't want to be associated with him? Then more questions came. What if they never cared about him when he was a child? What if they were one of those parents' that neglected their children in favor of drinking and only focusing on themselves? Or had it been close to something like her family? Or were they a happy family that constantly looked on the bright side of things?

Did they miss him?

… Did he miss them?

Garfield knew that Alice was staring at him again with that look. When he first caught her staring at him like that it made him worry that she was thinking about that silly idea again – the one where he'd leave her for someone she thought would be far prettier and lovely. But later, after attempting to cheer her up and assure her that he'd never leave her, he found that wasn't what she'd been thinking about. And when he asked what it was she was thinking about, she shook her head and told him it was nothing.

But if it was nothing then she wouldn't be staring at him like that when she thought he wasn't looking.

Both Ragdoll and Moth were out of the hideout today and so he thought this would be the perfect time to do some interrogation. Because if this was about their relationship, he definitely rather not have those two lingering around to hear about it. Ragdoll may try to encourage Alice to leave (he made it no secret that he disliked having her here with them) and Moth would… well… be Moth and end up making things worse, if not even more awkward.

"OK, Alice. You've been giving me that new look recently and it's making me curious. What's on your mind to get you to make that face?"

"Mm…? Oh! I-It's nothing, Garfield."

"Alice."

She blinked, pausing in her movements of sheepishly rubbing the back of her head.

"… You know you can tell me anything, right?" asked Garfield as he continued to keep his eyes on her form. The atmosphere in the room stiffened and he wondered if there was a chance that maybe… maybe… maybe Alice didn't want him anymore. He knew that he wasn't the only person who fought to win her over back in the day. Way back when they first met and she came to this world. How long had it been now since she arrived here, a year? Sheesh, it felt longer than that…

The brunette could taste how thick the tension was and knew that it must be worse for him than her. He was the one anxious to hear what was on her mind. But how could she ask him, especially since he never spoke about it? If he never spoke about something then there must've been a reason behind it. The couch dipped at the added weight and she felt Garfield's hand rest on the top of her head.

"… Do you…"

He raised an eyebrow. ""Do I"… what?"

"… What's your family like?"

"My…" He couldn't help but blink a few times as his brain was still trying its best to process her question. Was that what was bothering her? She… was curious about his family?

"I'm sorry." Alice quickly said from noticing the expression on his face. "I shouldn't have asked."

"No, no. It's fine. You… just caught me off guard, is all." How long had it been since he last spoke to his family? What exactly did she want to know about his family? And… what exactly made her want to know about his family? "Well, I've never been married, if that's what you're asking." He grinned playful and, despite the fact she smiled, was reprimanded for this. He knew what she really meant by her question… even though he didn't know why she wanted to know. "I don't know, Alice; I don't know what I should say about them."

It was his own fault, his conscious reminded, seeing as how he wanted to know what was on her mind.

"You don't have to say anything about them. Just… tell me the basic, little things. Like, was your mother and father around or was it just one of your parents? Do you have any siblings?"

He knew he could have just answered those two simple questions. Instead, he ended up asking, "And why do you want to know?"

"…" She shrugged, but he could see how her cheeks were starting to flush. "… No reason, I guess. I was just curious. I mean… I always go on and on about my father and my sisters and Diana and… well…"

The silence that hung between them was stifling.

"… I've got a baby sister; although, if she heard me say that about her, she'd whack me upside the head even though it's true." Garfield said and leaned his head back to stare at the ceiling; Alice slowly turned her face to face him once more. "She's younger than you by four years. And to be honest, I… never was great at being a big brother to her… In fact, if you happened to walk by, it'd look like she was the older one and not me…"

He grew quiet then and Alice waited until the time to speak felt appropriate.

"Do you… Do you miss her?"

It felt like such a silly question to ask, but she couldn't help it.

Garfield gave her shoulder a small squeeze, for now his arm was around her shoulders, as he tucked her head beneath his chin and gave a small "yeah" to answer her question.

Again, silence…

"I bet she misses you, too."

She was unable to see the bitter smile on his face.

_Yeah… … … I highly doubt she does…_

* * *

**End Author's Note:** Yep. It turns out that Garfield has a sister. But I'm not sure if she's his only sister or if she's older/younger than him. All I remember from the book is mentioning that he has a sister who helped him out once. I wish I could find that particular comic book because maybe it went into further detail about it. But yeah, that's what I'm going to run with for now. Until-slash-unless I'm able to find out more information regarding to his sister.


	7. Gorgeous

**Title:** Snapshots  
**Rating:** PG-13  
**Fandom:** Crossover: _the Batman_ & _Joker/Clover/Heart no Kuni no Alice  
_**Characters:** _the Batman_: Garfield Lynns (Firefly), Peter Merkel (Ragdoll), Drury Walker (Killer Moth) ; _J/C/H no Kuni no Alice_: Alice Liddell, Lorina Liddell  
**Pairing:** Mentioned!Smileshipping (Garfield Lynns/Alice Liddell), Mentioned!Peter Merkel/Selina Kyle  
**Summary:** "Why, Moth, that's very bold of you to say about Lynns' girlfriend."  
**Word Count:** 845  
**Author's Note:** This is set in the same timeframe as **Doubts**.  
**Warnings:** None.  
**Disclaimer:** _the Batman_ & _Joker/Clover/Heart no Kuni no Alice_ do not belong to me in any shape or form (including characters). Thank you.

* * *

_Gorgeous_

* * *

It came out as a sigh.

"Isn't she just gorgeous?"

Peter Merkel could only roll his eyes in response. One would think that after all this time that the man would have grown used to how Gotham's finest villains acted like a moth to a flame when it came to that stupid girl, especially if the compliments and whatnot came from a certain firebug that was dating her. And _no_, it wasn't because he secretly fancied her either and wished to have the pathetic girl all to himself.

He was just one of the lucky few that hadn't been caught under her spell.

And for that, he was immensely thankful.

Still.

The possibilities of what a particular kitten would do to the brunette, should he have fallen for her, does make him curious. And sometimes amused even, depending on the mental scenarios that his mind conjurors up for him.

"Yes, thank you, Lynns, for telling me that pointless and unwanted information for the millionth time now."

…

Is it just him or is that the scent of awkwardness in the air?

Odd, considering Garfield would have scowled at him and given him a few colorful choice of words by now.

…

Unless…

He lowers the book he's reading to find that Drury is the only other occupant in the room with him. And that's when he hears the voices in the kitchen and realizes that Lynns and his girlfriend and his girlfriend's sister are busy making dinner. (OK, scratch that: Lorina and Alice are making dinner while Lynns is trying to steal a piece of the chocolate cake that they baked earlier.)

And what more, he shouldn't be surprised that Drury has said something like that about Alice, but the fact that he did… well…

Let's just say that Peter's grin is an exact match to the Cheshire cat's.

"Why, Moth, that's very bold of you to say about Lynns' girlfriend."

Drury's face becomes even redder and it doesn't take a genius to know that he hadn't meant for those words he said to escape him.

"N-N-No… I… I wasn't… I-I mean…"

Dammit. Peter's now starting to wear the face of the cat that ate the canary.

"Oh. Don't worry, Moth. _I_ won't say anything to Lynns about it. No, no. Besides, what's the point? He knows perfectly well how large her fan club is and what's one more to it?" asks Peter in that cheerful tone of his. In fact, he's about to go on and on when he notices Drury's lips move but no sound comes out. And all cheerfulness goes out the window as his next words escape him. "What was that you said, Moth?"

If Moth wasn't talking about Alice and it was Selina he was referring to then the man had a death wish.

Drury swallowed, tugging at the ends of his sleeves and eyes focusing on his lap to avoid Merkel's glare.

…

Peter's scowl deepens and he sets his book off to the side.

"Moth, you have one second to tell me what it is you just said. And I swear, if you tell me that you were referring to Selina then I'll—"

"Would you gentlemen like some tea?"

The thief whirls his head around to find Lorina standing a few feet behind him and holding a tray with a small kettle and two teacups. And judging by the expression on her face, she doesn't appear to have known what was transpiring between the two.

It doesn't surprise him though.

She is Alice's sister and so it makes sense that she would be oblivious, too.

"_No_."

Lorina doesn't flinch from the venom in his tone and he does have to give her some credit. If it were Alice in her place then the brunette would have fidgeted in her spot. But still, both of them are a nuisance and it makes him wish that neither of them came here.

"H-Here, I-I'll get t-that for you!"

Peter doesn't even have time to blink as something from the corner of his eye comes hurrying past him and then, in that instance, he's a witness to seeing Drury trying to carefully (and failing to) take the tray from the woman's hold.

…

What?

He watches the event, but it doesn't feel like he's really seeing it at the same time.

Alice's sister gives Drury a polite smile and reassures him that there's no need for him to do so. Moth's face is turning redder and redder by the second as he tries to wrestle the tray from her grasp. And that is odd in itself because he never once did this when Alice—

Oh _hell_.

_Now_ it makes sense.

Drury doesn't have a ridiculous, silly crush on Alice.

He has a ridiculous, silly crush on her sister.

That isn't so bad. After all, it's a somewhat of refreshment in its own special way. Isn't it?

Still.

Peter makes a face at them, trying to withhold making a gagging sound (which he fails to do so), before returning to his book.


	8. Harbor

**Title:** Snapshots  
**Rating:** PG-13  
**Fandom:** Crossover: _the Batman_ & _Joker/Clover/Heart no Kuni no Alice  
_**Characters:** _the Batman_: Garfield Lynns (Firefly) ; _J/C/H no Kuni no Alice_: Alice Liddell  
**Pairing:** Smileshipping (Garfield Lynns/Alice Liddell)  
**Summary:** It doesn't take a blind person or a genius to see that Garfield Lynns is Alice Liddell's harbor. (Well, except for an in denial Mr. Tetch.)  
**Word Count:** 536  
**Author's Note:** I almost, _almost_, ended up giving way too many spoilers for "_Coming Undone_", but I was able to catch myself because, face it, we can't have that happening now, can we? ;)  
**Warnings:** None.  
**Disclaimer:** _the Batman_ & _Joker/Clover/Heart no Kuni no Alice_ do not belong to me in any shape or form (including characters). Thank you.

* * *

_Harbor_

* * *

There are always the "what ifs" that plague her mind.

Always creating the possible scenarios of what all could have been.

Sometimes, she can't deny that she wishes her plan had worked – that she found the way to leave the Country of Hearts and return home despite everything that happened. It's one of the – if not _the_ – happier "what if" scenario that takes over her mind.

The others… well, they are an entirely different story.

What if she never escaped from Mr. Tetch's grasp? Would she have ended up like all those other young, poor girls? Or would she forever be trapped with him and within his madness? Would Dr. Crane have even helped her when he came to see his friend, if he ever did? Would she have ever gotten the chance to meet Mr. Freeze or Mr. Merkel? Would she have been shrugged off by Mr. Nygma, seeing as how he would only view her as nothing more than another meager replacement for Mr. Tetch's amusement? But then her thoughts take an, if possible, darker turn for the worst. What if that doctor hadn't allowed Mr. Tetch to smuggle her in? What if he was the one to keep her prisoner like some bargaining chip to get Mr. Tetch to do what he wanted?

But what she can't stand thinking about is the thought of never meeting him.

It's true that all of the previously mentioned above and a few more hold a special place in her heart which is surprising, considering. Many would be shocked that she considers them her friends, yet what may cause their eyes to jump out of their sockets is if they found out that they regard her in the same way in their own personal way. And her heart does give a lurch at the thought of never having met them either, but…

None of it compares to the sharp pain she feels when thinking about the "what if" of never meeting him.

And, perhaps in a different time, she thinks and feels the same way about Dr. Crane or Mr. Nygma or someone else that isn't him.

(Never the Joker and never Zsasz and never that horrible doctor, though. It would have been better if she never had met those three at all.)

Yet as it is, it's him.

He's the one that's been there for her at the start after her escape from Mr. Tetch. He was the one to find her trembling form behind a dumpster. He was the one to hear her out and listen to her tale and not call her crazy for it. He was the one who protected her from Mr. Tetch when they went to the man in order to find answers. He's always done his best to keep her safe, despite all that he's done and even still does to this day. And he's the one who finds the words and–slash–or the actions in order to send her sadness away to replace it with a smile (and maybe even a blush).

It doesn't take a blind person or a genius to see that Garfield Lynns is Alice Liddell's harbor.

(Well, except for an in denial Mr. Tetch, of course.)


	9. Irrational

**Title:** Snapshots  
**Rating:** PG-13  
**Fandom:** Crossover: _the Batman_ & _Joker/Clover/Heart no Kuni no Alice  
_**Characters:** _the Batman_: Peter Merkel (Ragdoll), Drury Walker (Killer Moth) ; _J/C/H no Kuni no Alice_: Alice Liddell  
**Pairing:** Smileshipping (Garfield Lynns/Alice Liddell), Past!Garfield Lynns/Jane "Blaze" Blazedale, Peter Merkel/Selina Kyle  
**Summary:** She knew that her words struck him like a physical blow, but at the moment she found that she could care less. What gave him the right to call her irrational?  
**Word Count:** 1,245  
**Author's Note:** No matter what, I'm still baffled at how I have Peter interact with Alice, especially with the way he acts in _The Batman_. I mean, I knew that I couldn't have everyone fall for Alice as if they were like the residents of the Country of Hearts, but still… how come Peter has to come off as being a jerk towards her? *sighs* Oh well, it's too late to change it. The way he acts and feels towards her is stuck as headcanon for me now. :/  
But huzzah for Drury for trying to lessen the blow!  
**Warnings:** None.  
**Disclaimer:** _the Batman_ & _Joker/Clover/Heart no Kuni no Alice_ do not belong to me in any shape or form (including characters). Thank you.

* * *

_Irrational_

* * *

She did not dare tear her eyes away from the scene playing out before her.

She couldn't.

She _wouldn't_.

No matter how much she wanted to.

But there was that wretched part of her that wanted to watch.

It shouldn't come as a surprise to her. She knew that this day would come and that it was only a matter of time before it did. She's had plenty of time to prepare and ready herself, but he gave her such hope…

And she starts to hate herself for believing in his lies.

The corner of her lips sagging in a frown as the woman embraces the blond in a hug.

Next to her, on her left, Drury asks her, as if talking about the weather, if she wants to get some frozen yogurt. Her only response is narrowing her eyes when she sees that wide smile on the woman's face as she stares up at him which he returns with a small one.

"You're being irrational."

"Oh? Is that what you tell yourself when you react this way when seeing Ms. Kyle with Mr. Wayne?"

She knew that her words struck him like a physical blow, but at the moment she found that she could care less. What gave him the right to call her irrational? Hypocrite, that's what he was. He should know as the pot not to call the kettle black. Because, oh yes, she's caught him with that look when seeing Ms. Kyle with the billionaire named Bruce Wayne, so him calling her irrational as she watches Garfield make the auburn haired woman laugh—

Her head snaps to the right suddenly due to the cool fingers grasping her chin and she finds herself face to face with an all too familiar scowl, but it's more animalistic and it makes her whole body tenses.

"And, let me ask you this, _Alice_, do you think that I don't end up telling Lynns the very same thing when you're off gallivanting with the "good" doctor or off playing "solve the riddles" with the Riddler?" asked Peter, waiting for a few seconds to pass by in order for his words to be absorbed by that slow brain of hers.

When he thinks that enough time has passed, he continues, "I end up having to tell him that every single time when you _demand_ to have alone time with whoever it is that you, oh so _generously,_ decide to grace your presence with." He holds back the word "unwanted" from making its way in to his sentence, wanting to put it before the word "presence", if only because he doesn't want to deal with the poor saps who are wrapped around her fingers. He likes his sanity and plans to keep it that way. And never, ever would he admit it, but he doesn't want to face Selina's wrath if Alice decides to go to hear to wail and sob about how "innocent she is" and "how he was so cruel and mean to her".

But whatever, she still needs to learn and understand that not every single thing in the universe revolves around her.

"Lynns' made it clear to everyone, including _you_ even, that he's serious about this relationship you two have. And maybe, if you stopped feeling sorry for yourself, you would have noticed how uncomfortable he is right now speaking to Blaze. He hasn't seen her since _she_ broke up with _him_. And let me fill you on a little secret, _Alice_, Blaze ended their relationship when he needed her the most. Surprised? I guess you would be. I bet you thought that Lynns walked away from every relationship that he's been in with a heart still fully intact. Haven't you?"

She can't find any words to say, even if she wanted to.

And that seems to be enough for him, or at least for now it is.

Her chin is released from his cold, hard grip and immediately her head drops downwards in favor of staring at the ground beneath her feet. It is, after all, far less intimidating to stare at.

The triple-contortionist, hands tucked away in the pockets of his slacks, studies her form under his scrutinizing gaze. Maybe now she'll understand and stop making every little thing be about her. Because none of Lynns' reassurances and compliments seem to be doing the trick and he highly suspects that the others who are drawn to her treat her the same way (in a friendship manner or something more).

"Do keep that in mind the next time you start with your "woe is me" nonsense."

She watches his retreating figure and that's when his form begins to blur.

Drury doesn't realize until the last second that Peter is walking past him that he quickly asks him where he's going. His eyes then turn back to face Alice and he freezes momentarily from seeing her eyes water and cheeks a little bit red. He's never had to deal with a crying woman before and it makes him think if he should hurry after Ragdoll to avoid making the situation worse. (After all, Garfield is only a few feet away and if she draws his attention with her sobs then he'll assume it was him that made her cry.) Yet at the same time…

He slowly walks towards her until reaching the barrier of her personal bubble and shuffles awkwardly in place.

"… Alice? … Are… Are you OK?"

Her bangs are hiding her eyes from his view and he swallows nervously. Just what exactly did all Ragdoll say to her while he was gone?

And judging by how Firefly was still talking to that girl, how could he have not noticed?

"I'm fine, Drury, just… I'm being irrational, is all."

It takes him far longer to understand what is meant by that and it's amazing that, by the time he does, Firefly's conversation with the petite woman hasn't come to an end.

"Oh." He mouths and he tries to think of something to say that will cheer her up. But, unfortunately for him, he comes up with nothing. And it sucks.

"Well… uh… you see… I um… I-I don't Ragdoll meant anything bad by it, you know?

Drury scratches his nose, trying to figure out where his brain is going with this and to give himself some more time.

"He was just giving you a prep talk."

For that, he receives a "when has he ever given someone a prep talk" look from her and this time he scratches his cheek.

"L-Look, you know how Ragdoll is. He doesn't exactly take things seriously. Every time we're out on heists, he's always grinning and giggling and messing around." He fails to take in consideration of what her expression means. Mr. Merkel is never grinning and giggling and messing around when it comes to her, not anymore. It's always a hard stare or a frown or an annoyed expression that he gives her now ever since the end of Arkham City.

"And I think when it comes to times like these, when you're down on yourself, that he knows he has to be tough with you. It's natural for you to be jealous, sure, but it's not healthy for you to be putting yourself down constantly and comparing yourself to others. So, um… yeah… … Would you like some of my frozen yogurt?"

Cue the typical anime sweatdrop appearing on the back of her head.


	10. Job

**Title:** Snapshots  
**Rating:** PG-13  
**Fandom:** Crossover: _the Batman_ & _Joker/Clover/Heart no Kuni no Alice  
_**Characters:** _the Batman_: Garfield Lynns (Firefly) ; _J/C/H no Kuni no Alice_: Alice Liddell  
**Pairing:** Smileshipping (Garfield Lynns/Alice Liddell)  
**Summary:** "… Wouldn't it feel better if you made an honest living?" _Clank_. Cringe. "What? You mean, like, a… _job?_"  
**Word Count:** 415  
**Author's Note: **Oh, Alice. No matter how hard you try, I don't think you'll be able to get Garfield to agree with it.**  
****Warnings:** None.  
**Disclaimer:** _the Batman_ & _Joker/Clover/Heart no Kuni no Alice_ do not belong to me in any shape or form (including characters). Thank you.

* * *

_Job_

* * *

"Garfield?"

The arsonist gives a distracted hum.

"Wouldn't it be better if you got a job?"

"I do have a job."

She's quiet for a long period of time.

"That's not what I meant."

"Uh-huh."

If only he wasn't fixing his jetpack then he would have understood perfectly what it was she meant.

"… Wouldn't it feel better if you made an honest living?"

_Clank_. Cringe.

"What? You mean, like, a… _job?_"

"Yes!"

…

"Don't give me that look, Garfield."

"Alice, I have a job!"

"I wouldn't call committing arsons and thievery a job of honest living."

She's got him there.

"… So?"

"So, what you're doing is wrong."

He's tempted to ask what brought this up, but thinks better of it. What if she's on her monthly? No, no. They went through that ordeal almost two weeks ago from today, he remembers, so it can't be because of that.

"I'm sure someone would be willing to hire you. That is, as long as you promise them that you won't end up burning their store down. And you'll also have to promise them that you won't let Mr. Merkel and Drury steal from them."

He refuses to add anything more to the subject because this conversation is getting out of hand.

And so she's lets him enjoy the silence for a total of five minutes.

Then, when she sees the tension seep from his shoulders, she tries a different approach.

"I could get a job."

_Clank, clunk!_

"No way, nu-uh, forget it. Not gonna fly."

"But—"

"No, Alice. And that's final." He returns back to his jetpack, wincing a little at the damage the he himself caused, because he knows he doesn't need to wait for her to give a response. She knows that she won't win this argument. Maybe she would, if they resided anywhere but Gotham City. The streets aren't safe to begin with; no matter what time of day, but come nightfall its worse, especially now that Zsasz is out on the loose again.

Yeah, it may not be for a long period of time since the Bats is always on the prowl to take them down and return them to Arkham. But still. It's out of the question.

Behind him, off to the side, he hears her defeated side.

"… Fine…"

…

"You could at least do what the Batman does and help stop crime rather than committing it."

It comes off more as a whine than anything else, "_Alice_."


	11. Kisses

**Title:** Snapshots  
**Rating:** PG-13  
**Fandom:** Crossover: _the Batman_ & _Joker/Clover/Heart no Kuni no Alice  
_**Characters:** _the Batman_: Garfield Lynns (Firefly), Peter Merkel (Ragdoll), Selina Kyle (Catwoman), Victor Fries (Mr. Freeze), Nora Fries ; _J/C/H no Kuni no Alice_: Alice Liddell  
**Pairing:** Smileshipping (Garfield Lynns/Alice Liddell), Victor & Nora Fries, Peter Merkel/Selina Kyle  
**Summary:** It's like the apple conversation all over again, except this time they have a new addition (well, _two_ new additions depending on how you view it) to the group and they're not talking about apples this time.  
**Word Count:** 1,129  
**Author's Note:** Kind of (?) AU-ish considering, but let's just pretend that he found a cure for her, say, a year and eight months later or so? One that does not involve the use of the Lazarus Pit which ends up making her have powers and become the villainess known as Lazara. Because, c'mon, admit it, the Fries deserve to have their own happiness, too.  
Anywho, I like the way this turned out even though I had something different in mind... :)  
**Warnings:** None.  
**Disclaimer:** _the Batman_ & _Joker/Clover/Heart no Kuni no Alice_ do not belong to me in any shape or form (including characters). Thank you.

* * *

_Kisses_

* * *

It's like the apple conversation all over again, except this time they have a new addition (well, _two_ new additions depending on how you view it) to the group and they're not talking about apples this time.

They're talking about _kisses_.

Kisses!

Thankfully the boys, as Selina likes to call them, aren't sitting with them at this exact moment; she told the three to "be good boyfriends–slash–husband and see about retrieving dessert from the buffet table for their ladies" in the tone that held no room for argument. (Although one of them did challenge her, however, saying that _she_ should be the one to get _him_ the plate with the yummy-looking piece of chocolate cake that was sitting there at the end of the dessert table. That sentence earned him _whap_ to the back of his head with her purse and then forcefully pushed out of his seat beside her.)

But still, she wishes that Ms. Kyle hadn't brought up the topic at all.

But more importantly, she prays that it'll over with by the time their dates come back.

"No offense, dear, but I'm having a hard time believing that you're able to kiss your husband due to his… condition. Why, it must be difficult, especially when it must come to French kisses, oui?"

Though the question is not directed at her, it still sends her in to a coughing fit. She really should have waited to take a drink of her water until this conversation ended.

Thankfully, Nora Fries is seated on her left and the woman gives her a few gentle pats on the back. And it both amazes her and causes envy within her at how composed she is. She isn't flustered, but if she is then she does well not to show it. Once her coughs have died down, with Ms. Kyle giving her an apologetic smile, Mrs. Fries answers the question she's been asked.

"It's actually not as difficult as you make it out to be."

"Oh?"

It's a blessing that the men haven't come back… yet.

She looks over her shoulder to see what they're doing. From the looks of it, Mr. Merkel is angrily arguing with an older woman in letting him have the piece of cake (the same piece that he set his eyes on) while Garfield stands beside his friend with a look bordering on the lines of annoyance and boredom. (It's hard for her to tell because she only has a side view of his face.) As for Mr. Fries, he's across the table from them and (seemingly) trying to decide on which two desserts that Nora will like the best. A part of her can't help but wonder if it's for show and the real reason as to why he hasn't returned to their table yet is because he wants to make sure that Mr. Merkel doesn't end up attacking the woman.

"—Alice?"

"Yes?"

Ms. Kyle's lips curl upwards a little. It's clear to her that the young woman hadn't been paying attention to them and their conversation, but if she thought that by spacing out would give her a free pass, well…

"I asked you a question."

"Oh! I'm sorry. I'm afraid that I didn't hear it."

Beneath the table, she crosses her fingers in hopes that her question has nothing to do with—

"Do Garfield's kisses cause you to be all hot and bothered?"

—No such luck.

And what's worse is the question causes her cheeks to burn.

"I… I beg your pardon?" unfortunately it comes out as a pathetic squeak.

Her question and from the way she said it causes a soft laugh to escape the woman's lips. "Oh, Alice, there's nothing for you to be embarrassed about! Your dear Garfield is a pyromaniac, after all. And since for a short period of time he did turn into the being known as Phosphorus for a time, well…"

Alice knows that dark secret of Garfield's past.

He'd been the one who told her; although he never wanted to and hoped that it would be something that she would never come to learn about him. It's not something that he's proud of and it's clear in his eyes that it's one of the things that he regrets.

And seeing as how Selina was curious about how Mr. Freeze's condition…

It's clear that she's been curious if Garfield's gotten some side effects from his time as Phosphorus.

Still, she doesn't feel comfortable sharing with them what his kisses are like. It should be between her and Garfield. But living in Gotham – in this world in general – has taught her how different it is to her own.

If only she was as calm and collected as she and Mrs. Fries are.

Then maybe, just _maybe_, she would be able to answer the question like it was no big deal.

However, as if sensing her discomfort, Mrs. Fries comes to her rescue.

"What about you, Selina? You have yet to inform us what Peter's kisses are like."

Selina blinks, eyes growing a little wide, as her hand comes to a short pause in stirring her drink with a spoon. Perhaps she had come to the conclusion that neither of her companions would ask her what her kisses were like with Peter.

But then a small smirk graces her lips.

"Peter? If I had to use one word to describe his kisses it would be the word… sloppy."

"WHAT? What do you mean my kisses are "sloppy"?!"

Alice feels guilty after thinking how she's glad that she isn't the only one to jump from Mr. Merkel's outburst. Mrs. Fries was startled by the man's outburst as well.

Something catches the corner of her eye and Alice realizes that it's Mr. Fries. He sets a piece of pie down in front of his wife then sits back down in his seat. The dent in his eyebrows show how displeased he is with Mr. Merkel, but it slowly fades away as the seconds pass (thanks to Nora's soothing touch on his knee) and turns his gaze back to his wife in favor of having a

Her attention is drawn to her boyfriend after he sets a red velvet cupcake before her and finds him silently ask her "do I even want to know" to which she answers with a small smile and a shake of her head. Garfield's shoulders lift in a shrug and he not-so-subtly drapes his arm on the back of her chair.

"Calm down, Peter. You're making it as if it's some big deal."

"It is a big deal!"

"It's not, really."

"Not five minutes ago you said that my kisses are, I quote, "sloppy"!"

"That's because we were comparing kisses."

"…"

"…"

"You were WHAT?"


End file.
